Amilkal Labañino

The presentation of the book Cuatrocientos noventa y tres días en Cuito Cuanavale, as part of the 24th International Book Fair Cuba 2015 became a tour through the exploits of Angolan liberation and the support of Cuban forces to that struggle.

With the assistance of protagonists of the historic battle, the presentation of the title took place at Nicolás Guillén Hall of San Carlos de La Cabaña Fortress, headquarters of the reading festival on the island.

Published by Verde Olivo Editorial, the volume was written by Venancio Avila Guerrero and Eduardo Tauriñán Yáñez, Chief and Deputy Chief of 71st Tactical Group who participated in that battle, and that victory meant a decisive step towards the final liberation of Angola and Namibia, and the end of Apartheid in South Africa.

According to the authors, it is a historiographical material of extraordinary value, which collects everything that happened in the Angolan Southeast from January 17 to June 3, 1989 in that region.

During the presentation, Ávila Guerrero narrated passages of the struggle which had the support of many young people, as well as the precise direction of the high command of the Revolutionary Armed Forces.

As for the research to shape the material, he highlighted the testimonies of more than 70 participants in the battle, from all positions and military posts, and consultation of valuable bibliographical sources including declassified texts of enemy officers.

The book, with seven chapters in chronological order of the events, also recreates abundant pictures, sketches of the battles and annexes that complement the information about the combat.

Other releases of Verde Olivo Publishing house will happen in this Fair, dedicated to Cuban intellectuals Olga Portuondo and Leonardo Acosta, and with the participation of India as Guest of Honor.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi expressed his best wishes and congratulations to the Cuban people and his willingness to support the expansion of bilateral relations with the island.

The message was conveyed to Cuban ambassador in Cairo Laureano Rodriguez by the vice-Great Chamberlain of the Republic Tareq Afifi, according to PL news agency.

The Cuban ambassador thanked the gesture of the Egyptian president and stressed the links of friendship beetween Egypt and Cuba. He also recalled the strong bonds of friendship between Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro and former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Cuban President Raul Castro inaugurated Tuesday in Havana the new headquarters of the Centers for State Control of Drugs and the National Coordinator of Clinical Trials.

The Cuban president was accompanied by Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization, who cut the inaugural ribbon at the ceremony. The modern facility, with six levels and glass exterior, is located in the western suburbs of the Cuban capital.

Raul Castro and the general directors of WHO and PAHO, the Pan-American Health Organization, were received by directors of the CENCEC, María Amparo Pascual, and CECMED, Rafael Pérez Cristiá.

CECMED has laboratories for quality control of drugs and medical devices that comply with the Standards of Practice established by WHO and PAHO, allowing certification as regional reference center.

Created in 1989, the CECMED's mission is to promote and protect the health of the population through a system of regulation, control and inspection to ensure the safety, efficiency and quality of medicines, medical equipment and devices.

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of Clinical Trials or CENCEC is responsible for designing and conducting clinical trials of medical, pharmaceutical and biotechnology products, as well as any other health technology, meeting International Standards of Practice. It has 107 employees, of which 72 percent are women and 73 are college-level professionals and technicians.

Cuban President Raul Castro affirmed that the updated of the Country?s social and economic model for a prosperous and self-sustainable socialist system keeps advancing, progressively, with no rush but with no pause.

In his speech at the 3rd Session of the Cuban Parliament on July 5, Raul Castro underlined the progressive pace of the transformations underway in the country by saying ?it is quite complex though it keeps advancing.?

The Cuban president also stressed the need to train state and government officials, executives and Communist Party members as well as the people to successfully face the realities of the current social and economic update. ?It is a serious task we must understand, and consider its reach with the wisdom needed to advance these programs, that is why we say no hurry but no pause,? he noted.

The Cuban head of state said that despite growing international rejection Washington maintains its economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba in open violation of the UN Charter. The measure has been unprecedentedly reinforced by harassing commercial and banking institutions that have had relations with Cuba and with aggressive extraterritorial character, said Raul Castro as he cited the most recent over-8.9-billion-dollar fine imposed on French BNP Paribas bank.

He also recalled that the Cuban Consular Office in Washington was deprived of its banking services, with its negative impact on Cubans living in the U.S. and making it difficult for family relations through trips to Cuba.

The United States has not either renounced its subversive plans against Cuba with the use of covert actions and the new information and communication technologies, as evidenced by the Zunzuneo twitter program, which is a violation of Cuban sovereignty and international law, Raul stressed.

It is time for the United States to understand that these policies are condemned to failure and that they must respect the will and right of the Cuban people to build a future of peace, Raul Castro stressed before the parliamentarians.

In Sancti Spiritus People also Shouted ´I am Fidel´

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Cubasí.cu interviewed translator Aracelia del Valle from Escambray website on people’s reaction for the journey of the caravan carrying the remains of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro to Santiago de Cuba.